No shocks for Saints at K-Park

Boss Simo thrilled with composure of Saints squad

- Fraser Mackie

St Johnstone refused to let East Kilbride join the list of lower league clubs to serve up Premier Sports Cup group stage shocks in recent seasons.

Saints teams had been defeated by Alloa, Stenhousemuir and Stirling Albion and lost out on penalties to Annan and Queen Of The South since lifting the trophy in 2021.

The ingredients for an upset were all there inside seven minutes at K-Park in soaring temperatures.

Just like Euan O'Reilly for Stenny in 2023, it was a former Saint who struck.

John Robertson, a Tommy Wright debutant at the age of 16 in 2018, curled a free-kick into the roof of the net past Toby Steward.

The apprehension could have got the better of new-look Saints there and then and been overwhelming when still trailing the Lowland League champions at halftime.

Yet it was clear from the multitude of chances created by Saints before halftime that Kilby were not going to be capable of holding out.